KNOW THEnets
Can you observe the NETS for Students in practice?
Try this exercise: Read the scenario below, then check
off any NETS•S performance indicators (on the right)
that you think the lesson addresses. Then turn to
page 38 to see how ISTE’s Research & Evaluation
Department would rate this lesson against the NETS
using the ISTE Classroom Observation Tool (ICOT,
iste.org/icot). You can also do this exercise online at
surveymonkey.com/s/knowthenets.
High school geography students in the southwest United States are working with students in Mexico to identify their regions’ most pressing common
problem and develop solutions. You visit the U.S. class-
room late in the first week of the project. The students
had previously established Skype procedures with their
Mexican counterparts and are now struggling to identify
possible problems before logging on. The class has so far
brainstormed crime and immigration issues, which starts
an argument between advocates for each topic. A third
faction, including students with families in the other
country, says, “You guys are just repeating the news!
How do you know what things are like in Mexico?”
“Look it up,” the teacher suggests.
The students scramble to find websites about Mexico.
The room is warm, and the students have to crowd
around four computers. Spanish speakers appropriate one
of the stations for Spanish-language sites. A few students
ask to use their cell phones, and the teacher reluctantly
agrees. She has to monitor each of the browsers. Some of
the sites are overtly political or biased. The teacher reminds
students of guidelines for evaluating online sources. “Some
of these people are really angry,” one student says. “Yeah,
we’re not going to figure it out,” another group says. “We
just need to call Mexico and see what they think.”
The teacher starts Skype on one of the computers,
and an image of the Mexican classroom is projected
on the interactive whiteboard. Students wave, and the
teachers try to greet each other in Spanish and English—
but no sound comes out. Several students in both coun-
tries leave their seats and approach their respective ma-
chines. After a rapid-fire conversation about bandwidth,
ports, and sound cards, the U.S. students advise the class:
“We should just use chat. We’ll figure it out later.”
Suddenly, a chat message comes from Mexico in
English: “Use chat. What did you talk about?”
“Crime, immigration. But decided it is different in
U.S.,” a student types. He adds, “Too hot to think here.”
“Here too,” the Mexican class responds. “Where does
your water come from?”
Creativity and Innovation
h 1a. Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products,
or processes
h 1b. Create original works as a means of personal or group expression
h 1c. Use models and simulations to explore complex systems
and issues
h 1d. Identify trends and forecast possibilities
Communication and Collaboration
h 2a. Interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others
employing a variety of digital environments and media
h 2b. Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple
audiences using a variety of media and formats
h 2c. Develop cultural understanding and global awareness by
engaging with learners of other cultures
h 2d. Contribute to project teams to produce original works
or solve problems
Research and Information Fluency
h 3a. Plan strategies to guide inquiry
h 3b. Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically
use information from a variety of sources and media
h 3c. Evaluate and select information sources and digital tools
based on the appropriateness to specific tasks
h 3d. Process data and report results
Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
h 4a. Identify and define authentic problems and significant
questions for investigation
h 4b. Plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete
a project
h 4c. Collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make
informed decisions
h 4d. Use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to
explore alternative solutions
Digital Citizenship
h 5a. Advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible
use of information and technology
h 5b. Exhibit a positive attitude toward technology that
supports collaboration, learning, and productivity
h 5c. Demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning
h 5d. Exhibit leadership for digital citizenship
Technology Operations and Concepts
h 6a. Understand and use technology systems
h 6b. Select and use applications effectively and productively
h 6c. Troubleshoot systems and applications
h 6d. Transfer current knowledge to learning new technologies
Find our answers on page 38.
